Fuse-plug



E. H. BAXTER.

' FUSE PLUG.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, 1919.

1 ,37 9 ,436. Patented May 24, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

EBNES'I. H. BAX'IER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FUSE-Emu.

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST H. BAXTEB, a

citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Chi cago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a-certain new and useful Improvement in Fuse-Plugs, of-which the following is a full, clear, concise, and ex.-

actdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a' part of this specification. Y .7

My invention relates to fuse plugs and more particularly to afuse' plug in which the fuse element may be renewed after being burned out.

In most of the lightingcircuits in use at the present day and in manyof the smaller electric circuits fuse plugs are used which have the general form of the screw plug on vthe ordinary electric' 'lamp bulb. These plugs are screwed into 'a socket having electrical connections like those of an ordinary lamp socket.- The fuse contained with the plug is adapted to conduct a certain amount of current without melting. If the current exceeds the amount for which the fuse is intended the fuse burns out'and a new plug must be inserted. The fuse itself forms only a small portion of the fuse plugbut the entire plug must, at the present time, 'be' thrown away because the plug is not so constructed that an amateur or a person unskilled in the electrical art can re-insert a new fuse. Throwing away the entire plug when only the fuse is destroyed entails a great loss. It is an object of this invention to avoid this loss by providing a fuse plug having means whereby a new fuse may be inserted by any person not skilled in the art and without the use of any but ordinary implements. It is a further object of the invention to provide a fuse plug of the character set forth which is inexpensive to manufacture, serviceable in use and is fire-proof as is necessary in-plugs of this kind. g

It is a further object toprovide a fuse.

with the amperage plainly marked thereon so that a-wrong fuse'will not be selected and to provide afuse which cannot be improperly placed in the plug.

I-t Tsa further object of the invention to provide a fuse plug in which the usual glass or isinglass cover plate may be removed so that access may be had to the interior of the plug for re-inserting a new fuse.

It is a further object of provide a fuse element adapted to be in- Specification of Letters Patent.

ap ncatibn filed November 10, 1919. swarm). 336,910.

this invention to Patented May .24, 1921.

serted into. myimproved plug which fuse element canbe constructed more easily and manufactured more cheaply than the corre-' sponding element shown in' my. copending appllcation Serial No. 338,749, filed Oct. 27,

1919. [With theseand other objects in viewscription which follows I have disclosed. in

the drawings several forms which my invention may take which forms are the best known to me at the present time. However,

it will be apparent from :the detailed deit is to be understood that this specification and the accompanying drawings I do not intend to limit myself to the specific construction disclosedv but intend to'avail myself of any modifications which fall within the (scope of the claimsappended to this specification. r

In the drawings the same reference characters have been used todesignate the same parts throughout the several views. In-

these dra'wings- Figure l is a central section taken through my improved fuse plug on approximately line 11 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the f body is shown in section in order to more clearly disclose the cooperation between the parts; I I

F1g. '6 shows anothermodification of the clamping member; and -1 Fig. 7 is .a perspective view of the contact member .to which the lower end-of the fuse 1 is attached. i p My improved plug comprises a body member 10 which may .be made: of porcelain as is customary in fuse plugs of this charac- Q ter or ma be made of any other desired material which has the necessary and required insulating properties. This body member and has the usual hollow interior 11. The body member is provided with an j enlarged portion 12 which is provided on its exterior surface with threads 13 which are adapted to be engaged-by corresponding threads on is shaped substantially as shown in Fig. 1 1

a cap member 14.- 'Tliefcapis provided with an inwardly turned annular shoulder 15 which is adapted to engage the usual isinglass or other transparent cover member 16 to clamp the same against the enlarged portion' 12 of the body member. Beneath the enlarged portion 12 the body 10 is provided of the drawings.

In one side of the body member 10 is formed a recess 19 which extends across the threads 17 and into an opening 20 which extends completely through the body member as shown in Fig. 1. The bottom of the recess 19 is shaped as shown inFig. 1 so that it may accommodate the fuse clamping member which will now be described.

The clamping member 21 shown in Fig. 4c

is substantially U-shaped. One of its legs is provided with an inwardly bent portion 22 and the other leg' is provided with an outwardly curved portion 23. These portions are in alinement' and are so positioned that the portion 22 fits into the portion 23 when the legs of the member 21 are colla sed by the sleeve 18. The member 21 is a so provided with a finger 24 which is bent substantially at right angles to the leg of the member on which it is formed and this finger is adapted to fit into a suitable depression in the recess 19 as will be clear from Fig. 1. The recess 19 is'also provided with a second depression which is adapted to accommodate the curved portion 23 of the clamping member.

My improved fuse 25 has a widened lower end 26 and a widened upper end 27 which is adapted to be positioned between the legs of the U-shaped member'21 and when so positioned extends below the curved portions 22 and 23.

- The lower end of the fuse 25 is adapted to be positioned within a contact member 28. which is shown on large scale in Fig. 7 I

of the drawings. The contact member 28 is stamped from any suitable material and, is made substantially in the form of a rifle cartridge and has an extending flange 29 which will fit against the end of the body member 10 as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. .The contact member has its open end squared as shown at 30 and one wall of its squared portion is slitted as shown .at 31 in Fig. 7 in order to provide a spring tongue 32. This tongue is provided with an engaging shoulder 33 which-may be conveniently bent from the tongue 32 as shown in Fig. 7. After the end 26 of the fuse is ositioned within the squared portion 30 o the contact member the member is filled with solder 34' in order to securely hold the end of the fuse in the ee t e ber- Th e o the b y m mber 10 is provided with a hole or opening 35 shaped to conform to the outside shape of the contact member 28. The contact member is long enough so that when it is pushed through the hole 35 the shoulder 33 will project above the edge of the'opening on the inside of the body member 10. The tongue is resilient and permits the contact member 28 to be readily inserted into the hole or opening 35 but the shoulder 33 engages above the edge of the opening and prevents the member from falling out. It will be understood thatthe fuse 25 and the contact member 28 are assembled at the factory and are sold as a unit. The user will buy the complete fuse plug in the first instance only, thereafter when the fuse burns out he will merely purchase the fuse element which comprises the fuse 25 and thecontact member 28, and will insert this fuse element into-his former fuse plug.

'The steps necessary in assembling are as follows After the plug has burned out the operator will remove the sleeve 18 from the body 10 by unscrewing the same from the threads 17. This permits the clamping member 21 to be removed from the recess 19. The end 27 of the fuse which remains moved and thrown away. The fuse element will be inserted in the hole or opening 35 and pushed through the same until the shoulder 33 snaps above the edge of the opening. The end 27 of the fuse will be passed through the hole 20 and positi oned between the legs of the clamping member, the members 14 and 16 being first removed to gain access to the interior of the plug. The sleeve 18 may then be replaced and as it is threaded onto the threads 17 will bend the legs of the clamping member together so that the end of the "fuse will be bent to conform to the shape of-- the curved portions 22 and 23 as will be clear from Fig. 1 of the drawings. The members 16 and 14 are then replaced in position.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings I show a clampportions 37 and 38 but extends only as faras shown in Fig. 5. When the sleeve 18 is threaded'onto the body member 10' the portion 37 will bend the end of the fuse into the portion 38 and firmly secure the same.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a clamping member 40 which is substantially the same as f that .aan im 4. [This .m a me m ber has an inwardly bent portion 4 1 and a coiiperat-ing outwardly 'bent portlon 42..

. Above theportion 4215 a curved extension bend the fuse between the legs of the clamp- 43 which extends upover theshoulder 44 formed atfthe bottom of the opening 20 in the body member. 10.- This clamping member is so formed that-its legs bear against each other as'shown in Fig. '6. When the fuseis to beinsert'ed the legs must be bent outwardly by means of the fingers or anyother, convenient implement so that the end of the fuse may be positioned between them. When the sleeve is threaded-onto the body it will compress the clamping member and place within the plug. The contact member 22 can be formed out of the required metal stamped to substantially the, shape shown in Fig. 7. The clamping member is made of any desired metal and has electrical contact withthe sleeve 18.

The hole or opening35 is square as shown in Fig. 2and the squared end of the conproper positioning of the fuse.

tact member 28 snugly fits the opening. This prevents improper placing of the fuse in the plug .as any operator would know that one flat side of the fuse 25' should be directed toward the recess 19. Therefore,

if the fuse is brought anywhere close to this position the squared opening will insure the The end of the contact member has stamped thereon the amperage of the fuse so that the wrong fuse will not be selected. This is clearly shown in Fig. 3.

With the modification shown in Fig. 5 it will be practically impossible to break the fuse or tear it loose from the contact member 28 while it is beinginserted. The portion 37 slightly overhangs the portion 38 so that the portion 38 presents a flat upper urface against which the end of the fuse will contact when it isositioned in the clamping member 36'. T e lengthof the fuse is such that when its end contacts with the portion 38 there is enough slack in the.

fuse to .prevent tension being placed on the fuse when the. clamping member 36 is collapsed by the ring 18. The fuse will therefore'not' be broken or torn away from the contact member 28.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire :to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A fuse plug of the character described comprising abody member, a removable cove t f a screw threaded sleeve on body member.-'.

renewable fuse 'plugcomprising a bod :member,-a removable covertherefor, a s eeve positioned on said body member, and 'a' clamping member positioned between saidb'o'dy member and said sleeveand. re-

receiving one end of' a fuse; element '3. A renewable fuse plug comprising .a body member having a recess infone of its sides,- a. sleeve positioned on aid body member-and covering said recess, and a clamping member positioned within said recess andheld in closedposit'ion by-said sleeve.

4. A renewable'fuse plug of the character described comprising a body-member, an opening formed in one end thereof, a recess formed in one side of said body member, a contact element removably positioned in said opening, a clamping member posi tioned in said recess, a fuse connecting said contact member to said clamping member, and a sleeve positioned on said body-member for securing said clamping member in said recess. I

' 5. A fuse plug of the character described comprising a body member having an opening in one end and a recess in its sidewall, a contact member positioned in said opening and having a locking element adapted to lock the member in said opening, afuse clamping member positioned within. said recess, a fuse having one of its ends secured.

to said contact member andits otherend detachably held by said clamping membery;

and a sleeve positioned on said body member for holding said clamping member. in clamping position. v y

6. A clamping member for a renewable fuse. plug comprising a substantially U- shaped strip of metal providing legs which are adapted to receive' one end of. a fuse between them, said legs having curved portions which coact' to provide a bend in the i fuse between them.

7. A renewable fuse plug comprising a body member having'a squared opening in one of its ends, a contact member having a squared body portion positioned within and fitting said opening, and a locking tongue on said contact member for securing it within said opening.

8. A renewable fuse plug of the character described comprising abody member havlng a squared opening in one end, a contact member having a squared body por-' tion adapted to fit said opening, a. locking element on said contact member to detachably secure the contact member Within said opening, a fuse havingoneof its ends secured to said contact member, and a clamplng 'member positioned exteriorly of said body member and receiving the other end of the fuse.

them.

9. A renewable fuse plug comprising a body member having a squared opening on one end and a recess in one of its sides, a squared contact member positioned within and fitting said opening, a spring tongue on said contact member for holding it in said opening, a clamping member within said recess, a fuse having one of its ends secured to. the contact member and its other end positioned within said clamping body member for holding said clamping member in fuse clamping position.

10. A renewable fuse plug comprislng a body member having a recess in its exterior surface, and an opening extending through said body member, a clamping member positioned within said recess and receivlng one end of the fuse which projects through said opening, and a sleeve positioned on said body member and holding said clamping member in fuse clamping position.

11. A device of the character described comprising a body member having exterior threads, a recess formed in said body memher and extending across said threads, a fuse clamping member having legs adapted to receive a fuse between them, a sleeve engaging said threads and adapted when turned onto said threads to compress said legs to clamp the fuse securely between 12. A device of the character described comprising a body member having a squared opening in one of its ends, a contactmember having a fuse secured thereto and being squared to fit said squared opening so as to facilitate the proper placing of the fuse within said body member.

13. A device of the character described comprising a body member having an opening in one of its ends, a contact member positioned within said opening, a fuse having one of its ends secured to said contact member, a clamping member on said body member for holding the other end of the fuse, and means for retaining said clamping member in its clamping position, said clamping member being so formed as to prevent the member, and a sleeve positioned on said fuse from entering too far into the clamping member.

14. A device of the character described comprising a body member having an opening in its end and a recess in its side wall, a fuse element extending through said opening and to said recess, a clamping member in said recess for holding the free end of said fuse element, said clamping member having means to properly position the free end of the fuse element.

15. A device of the character described comprising a body member having exterior threads, a recess formed in said body member and extending across said threads, a

fuse clamping member having legs adapted to receive a fuse between them, the legs of said clamping member having offsets therein to form a bend in a fuse clamped between them, and a sleeve engaging said threads and adapted when turned onto said threads to compress said legs to clamp the fuse securely between them.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe myl gname this 5th day of November A. D. 19

ERNEST H. BAXTER. 

